Folding footboard for iron bedsteads.



No. 698,626. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

L. '0. BREKK E. FOLDING FOOTBUARD FUR IRON BEDSTEADQ.

(Application flied May 13, 1901. (-No Modql.) I Q 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Apr. 29, I902.

L. 0. BREKKE. FOLDINGFOOTBOARD FOR IRON BEDSTEADS.

(Applicutionfiled May 13. 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Ens ca. qnav'a iumu, WASHINGTON o c 'ITED STATES PATENT Genres.

LEWIS O. BR EKKE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FOLDING FooTBo Ro-F oR lRON-BEDSTEADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.- 698,626, dated April 29, 1902. Application filed May 13, 1901. Serial No. 59,910. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, LEWIS O. BREKKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Folding Footboards for Iron Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved footboard for iron bed steads and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

It is a well-known fact that many people object to iron bedsteads simply for the reason that they have no footboard against which the clothes may be tucked and against which the feet may, if desired,- be pressed. A permanent footboard of the proper dimensions would be objectionable, for the reason that the bedclothes could not be thrown over the same in the daytime or if so thrown would give to the bed a very awkward and unusual appearance. I believe I have solved the problem in apractical and simple manner. by providing a footboard which has a folding upper section adapted to be turned fiat upon the foot end of the mattress, so that the bedclothes may be thrown over the same and the bed given the same made up appearance as if there was no footboard provided. At the same time this folding section may be turned up before a person retires, and the bedclothes may then be tucked between the footboard and the mattress. This being done there is nothing objectionable to the bed, and the same footboard accommodation is aiforded as with'an ordinary wooden bedstead.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanyin g drawings,wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 is an elevation looking at the foot end of the bedstead, someparts being sectioned on a line at m of Fig. 2. 'Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal vertical sections of the foot end of the complete bed, taken on the line 00 m of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4. and 5 are details corresponding in line of their sections, Figs.

2 and 3, but illustrating a modified construction.

The numeral 1 indicates as an entirety an ordinary iron bedstead comprising, as is ordinary, head and foot brackets and side rails connecting the same.

The numeral 2 indicates an ordinary wovenwire spring having a metal frame 3, which is shown as formed of angle-iron.

The numeral 4 indicates an ordinary mattress, and the numeral 5 indicates a quilt or bedspread.

My improved footboard is made up oftwo board-sections 0t and I), connected at their inner edges by hinges c. To the outer face of the board a. the upper end of a pair of metal brackets f are rigidly connected by bolts or screws f or by any other suitable means. To adapt the device for application to the iron frame 3 of the spring 2, the brackets fare provided with inwardly-projected retaining hooks or fingers f which are adapted to be passed between laterally-spread meshes of the spring 2 and to engage over the upturned flange of the transversely-extended rear an gle-bar of the said frame 3. The lower ends of the brackets f engage the foot portion of the spring-frame 3 and act as braces.

When this footboard is properly positioned, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the upper board-section b is adapted to be folded down over and against the foot end of the mattress 4, and the quilt or bedspread 5 may be then thrown smoothly over the complete footboard, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby completely concealing the said footboard and giving to the bed the same appearance as does anordinary iron bedstead. As the relatively fixed footboard or section a is supported inward, or forward of the skeleton foot-bracket of the bed, the covers may be dropped be tween the said parts the same as inan ordinary iron bed wherein a footboard is not employed. i r

InFig. 3 the footboard-section b is shown as turned up and the quilt 5, as well as the other bedclothes, are tucked between the mattress and the footboard. The footboard-section I) when turned up projects high above the top of the mattress.

When'it is desired to apply the footboard to a spring having a wooden frame, such as indicated by the character 3 in Fig. 4-, the hooks f are left oi the brackets f, and in their stead said brackets are provided with inwardly horizontally projecting flanges f through which and the transverse beam of said spring-frame 3 small nutted bolts 9 may be passed to secure the footboard in working position.

In Fig. 5 the relatively fixed footboard a is shown as secured to a pair of brackets 75, the lower ends of which are pronged at k to embrace and fit over the transverse rear anglebeam 1 of the bedstead. The said brackets is are secured to the said angle-bar 1 by setscrews 70 which Work through prongs of the said brackets and impinge upon the embraced flange of the said angle-bar.

It will of course be understood that various other devices may be employed to secure the footboard either to the frame or the spring or directly to the frame of the bed. It will also be understood that other modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of my invention.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A detachable footboard for iron bedsteads, comprising the board-sections a and b, the hinges a connecting the said board-sections, and rigid brackets secured to said board section a and adapting the same to be rigidly but detachably secured with respect to the bedstead and other parts of the bed, and which board-section b is adapted to be folded flat over the foot end of a mattress, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a bedstead having a foot-bracket, of a footboard comprising board-sections a and b, hinges connecting said board-sections, and brackets supporting said board-section a with respect to the bedstead in a position forward of the foot-bracket of the said bed, whereby said section b may be folded flat on top of the mattress and the bedclothes may be placed over said board-section and between said relatively fixed board-section a and the foot-bracket of the bed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS O. BREKKE.

lVitnesses:

ELIZABETH KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

